You can enjoy a London affair on Tuesday night when Graham Potter takes charge of his first Premier League game as West Ham manager against Fulham.
Potter was in the dugout on Friday night just days after being confirmed as Julen Lopetegui’s successor in east London. There were positive signs at Villa Park and the FA Cup tie was turned around after the wrong decision to award Aston Villa a corner resulted in an equalizer for the hosts.
The Englishman has a lot to do with a squad that may not be ideal for his frame given the lack of legs in midfield and injuries at the top.
West Ham they enter Tuesday’s game 14th in the table after winning just six of their 20 league games under Lopetegui.
Unlike the Hammers, Fulham advanced to the fourth round of the tournament FA Cup thanks to a 4-1 win over Watford on Thursday night. The Cottagers are currently unbeaten in nine games in all competitions, but their tendency to draw means they are only ninth in the Premier League table.
Marco Silva’s team is chasing a European place and they are within reach of the top seven.
Here 90 minutes Potter’s London Stadium arch guide.
West Ham – Fulham head-to-head results (last five games)
Current form (all competitions)
|
West Ham |
Fulham |
|---|---|
|
Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham – 01.10.25 |
Fulham 4-1 Watford – 01.09.25 |
|
Man City 4-1 West Ham – 01.04.25 |
Fulham 2-2 Ipswich – 01.05.25 |
|
West Ham 0-5 Liverpool – 29.12.24 |
Fulham 2-2 Bournemouth – 29.12.24 |
|
Southampton 0-1 West Ham – 26.12.24 |
Chelsea 1-2 Fulham – 26.12.24 |
|
West Ham 1-1 Brighton – 21.12.24 |
Fulham 0-0 Southampton – 22.12.24 |
|
Earth |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
|
Great Britain |
TNT Sports 4, Discovery+, Discovery+ app |
|
United States |
Peacock |
|
Canada |
fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network 4 Canada |
Niclas Fullkrug’s long-term hamstring injury has exacerbated West Ham’s striker injury problems, with Potter also without Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen at the start of his tenure. Without Fullkrug, Danny Ings could earn a rare Premier League start in East London.
Ings scored in the reverse fixture at Craven Cottage in September – his only goal of the season so far.
In defence, Jean-Clair Todibo and Emerson could be out so it is unlikely that there will be any changes to Potter’s back line on Tuesday. Teenager Oliver Scarles impressed at left-back at Villa Park.
Predicted line-up of West Ham against Fulham (4-2-3-1): Fabian; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Scarles; Soucek, Alvarez; Kudus, Paqueta, Summerville; Ings.
Fulham are still without Kenny Tete and Reiss Nelson with knee and hamstring injuries, while Sander Berge and Rodrigo Muniz are doubts for Tuesday’s game.
There could be a return to a back three for Silva given the personnel at his disposal, with Antonee Robinson fitting the left wing function.
Tom Cairney could start alongside Saša Lukić in midfield if Berge does not return, while a fit Raul Jimenez is certain to return to the Cottagers’ XI.
Expected line-up of Fulham against West Ham (3-4-3): Sloth; Diop, Andersen, Bassey; Castagne, Lukić, Cairney, Robinson; Wilson, Jimenez, Iwobi.
The spoils were shared at Craven Cottage back in September and these two sides could play out another draw on Tuesday night.
Although Fulham have scored at least twice in five of their previous six games, they will face a Potter-led side looking for early stability. Defensive foundations need to be laid in east London under the Englishman given how poorly West Ham have performed without the ball under Lopetegui.
Setbacks are certainly not uncommon at the start of a new manager’s tenure, and West Ham’s injury problems at the top mean they are unlikely to pose much of a threat in the final third.
Prediction: West Ham 0-0 Fulham
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